Helvetas’ Organic Cotton Project Empowers 25,000 Farmers In Singida, Simiyu -

BY STAFF REPORTER

HELVETAS Tanzania, a non-governmental organization (NGO), is implementing a three-year based climate smart organic cotton project, the timely initiative which has so far benefited at least 25,000 organic farmers and their respective communities in Singida and Simiyu regions.

Christened ‘Organic Cotton Project’ (OCP), the robust programme is being implemented through cooperation with GIZ Tanzania, Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM) and two ginnery companies -Biosustain and Alliance.

Speaking during an exclusive interview to this blogspot, Helvetas Program Officer, Geraldina Kimaryo expressed that the overall objective of the project, among others, was to work towards climate-smart, resilient cotton farming communities and establishment of organic zones or clusters.

“Basically, the project’s focus areas incorporate climate-smart farming communities, policy and advocacy for the adoption of a climate smart, sustainable and resilient agricultural systems approach towards organic zones or clusters, “ she unveiled, adding that organic certification and market linkages were other areas of the project’s concern.

Moreover, Kimaryo said the independent organization for development rooted from Switzerland, and with affiliated organizations in Germany and the United States was very determined to assist the farmers to escape from shackles of poverty through cultivating cotton through an organic system.

And she unveiled some prevailing challenges, saying: “There’s high competition from business companies, which heavily support the use of chemicals to improve production, but also, the other challenge is presence of conflict between farmers and pastoralists, the situation which to a greater extent jeopardizing integration of livestock and crops for sustainable farming,”

Some farmers who are benefiting from organic cotton project in Simiyu region as seen during harvesting season.

Together with that, the program officer expressed that droughts (longer periods of dryness, mostly 3 months of rainfall) and massive deforestation due to salt harvesting stands among other setbacks that haunt the sector.

“Despite the numerous challenges, still there are several opportunities that have cropped up due to prevalent challenges, especially climate change,” she said.

Dwelling on the opportunities, Kimaryo detailed that climatic change had awakened the government and international agencies to increase support on sustainable agriculture, and furthermore, increase in price of fertilizers and other chemicals had encouraged farmers to turn to ecological farming.

On the same vein, Kimaryo added, decrease in productivity due to overuse of chemicals in farming activities has triggered an increase in awareness on health issues and raised the demand for organic food (free from chemicals).

Cotton farmers under the organic cotton project in Simiyu Region transporting cotton during harvesting season.

Working under the vision of assuring ‘A world in which all men and women determine the course of their lives in dignity and security, using environmental resources in a sustainable manner’ Helvetas supports farmers in improving their production methods, reducing postharvest losses and increasing income by marketing their produce.

Helvetas has been active in Tanzania since the 1970s and has successfully completed various projects in rural road construction and education and more recently, the NGO’s focus has been on agricultural development